Trump news: President endorses man who openly avows white nationalism, collects Nazi relics and called Sandy Hook 'a hoax'

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Donald Trump spreads bogus wind energy claim in front of energy workers

Donald Trump has endorsed the political ambitions of ex-Arizona Diamondbacks baseball star Curt Schilling, an outspoken conservative and Breitbart podcast host known for espousing conspiracy theories and white nationalist rhetoric and collecting Nazi memorabilia.

The development comes after the president addressed energy workers in Pennsylvania on Tuesday and joked about calling off the 2020 election and serving a third term, attacking his political opponents including Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, despite the event not being earmarked for campaigning.

Speaking to staff after touring the Shell Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex in Monaca, Mr Trump also spread misinformation about wind power (“All of the sudden it stops – the wind and the televisions go off”) after defending his retweeting of baseless rumours about the death of billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr Trump's comments at the Shell Plant also sought to take credit for the whole place, even though it was actually green lit and started in 2012 when Barack Obama was president.

As Mr Trump rested from that trip, the White House was relatively quiet on Wednesday.

But, vice president Mike Pence announced he would be visiting Ireland soon, adding gravity to previous statements that Congress would not ratify a trade deal with the UK if the post-Brexit landscape did not honour the Good Friday Agreement.

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Key Points

• President endorses white nationalist ex-baseball star for Arizona Congress
• Trump lies about wind power to energy workers
• Defends retweeting Epstein conspiracy theories as 'fine'
• Dismisses farmer's concerns about China trade war
• 21 states sue administration over power plant rollbacks

[14 August 2019 14:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

Here's why the "Fredo" insult CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was so angered by is currently dominating American politics.

[14 August 2019 14:15 · Joe Sommerlad]

For more on Terrence K Williams, the "very highly respected conservative pundit" whom Trump controversially retweeted over the death of Jeffrey Epstein, here's Conrad Duncan.

[14 August 2019 14:30 · Joe Sommerlad]

Despite Trump's best efforts to intervene at the instigation of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, US rapper A$AP Rocky has been convicted of assault in Sweden and ordered to pay damages to the victim.

The president even sent America's top hostage negotiator, special envoy Robert O'Brien, to Stockholm but his best efforts were apparently in vain.

[14 August 2019 14:45 · Joe Sommerlad]

Eric Trump has been on Fox and Friends to complain about media bias relating to the Iowa State Fair "corn poll", a folksy custom in which every attendee at the event is given a corn kernel to place in a jar labelled for each 2020 candidate, giving them a chance to cast a vote for their favourite candidate.

Eric is upset that the press is not giving sufficient coverage to his father's "overflowing" jar.

[14 August 2019 15:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

Trump's first tweet of the day is an endorsement for famed baseball pitcher Curt Schilling, considering a run for Congress in Arizona.

He's clearly excited about the idea having tweeted this only yesterday.

Schilling is known as an outspoken conservative with a Breitbart podcast, who, according to Media Matters, "has a long history of spewing anti-Muslim, racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic commentary, and he was fired by ESPN for posting anti-trans bigotry on Facebook. He has also promoted multiple conspiracy theories, including QAnon and claims that the Sandy Hook mass shooting was a hoax, and once praised a shirt endorsing violence against journalists."

The site also states Schilling "has displayed Nazi memorabilia and promoted an avowed white nationalist agenda".

[14 August 2019 15:15 · Joe Sommerlad]

Trump's response to the mass demonstrations in Hong Kong has come under fire from Connecticut Democratic senator Chris Murphy.

[14 August 2019 15:30 · Joe Sommerlad]

If you're a fan of strange celebrity interjections in the American political process, retired Czech-American tennis ace Martina Navratilova has had a crack at Ken Cuccinelli.

It's good but Beto O'Rourke's was better.

[14 August 2019 15:45 · Joe Sommerlad]

Bernie Sanders and Cardi B are trailing the video for their recent sit-down in Detroit to discuss the minimum wage.

"Do I know nail bars?" the Vermont senator asks.   

Bernie has also pledged to join up with Parkland survivor and anti-gun advocate David Hogg to battle the NRA.

[14 August 2019 16:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

Also among the 2020 Dems, Montana governor Steve Bullock has angrily attacked billionaire new entrant Tom Steyer for buying his way into the race.

He may have a good case but the thumbnail image on this video is a schoolboy error, it has to be said.

[14 August 2019 16:15 · Joe Sommerlad]

Arizona Republican senator Martha McSally - who succeeded the late John McCain in the seat – has drafted a bill that would make domestic terrorism a federal crime. Currently, those responsible for mass shootings like the recent attacks in Texas and Ohio have been charged with hate crimes.

“For too long we have allowed those who commit heinous acts of domestic terrorism to be charged with related crimes that don’t portray the full scope of their hateful actions,” she said.

“That stops with my bill. The bill I am introducing will give federal law enforcement the tools they have asked for so that they can punish criminals to the fullest extent of the law.”